So, we leave Europe, now Scotland wants out. What next? Yorkshire, Cornwall, Merseyside? This country isn’t going to the dogs, it’s gone to the dogs. I don’t give a toss of what you are all arguing about, this is no more than narrow minded nationalism and that leads to one thing and one thing only. Please sit down and read a few history books, or if thats too taxing, there’s the History channel for you.

I don’t know if this question has been asked on here earlier, but the idea of separation? is it brought about in large part, by the current kn@bheads in government? Would it even be a consideration if we were living under another party ( Brexshit or not), in a society that was aiming to be fairer to all?

My only experience is with the 1.5 TSI in a manual Skoda Karoq. Dreadful thing to drive in a manual, maybe fine in the DSG, but stay away from the manual. The software fix didn’t work.

Distraction, distraction, distraction. That’s all it is. Look, a fluffy pink bunny in the garden!

It works on infants, and it works on the populace.

Carista dongle and app? Works on pretty much most cars and vans.

+ whatever for Call my agent, on Netflix.

Vredstiens All seasons on my T6, proper load rating, wearing well and were very good in the snow, and still get 40+mpg on the m-way.

Hmmmm….can I just say Russian violinist?

It’s not just Liverpool council, Leeds City council have made some “interesting” decisions over the last few decades.

Just popped back into this thread for a mo, and yes, you’re all still arguing amongst yourselves. As a thread, its become pointless.

The BBC and other mainstream media outlets were very quick to jump on this story this morning, but virtually no mention of the bill the demonstrators were shouting about, and crucially last week almost a news blackout on this subject.

Pop over the Woodhead, (watch for the bloody roadies, they really slow you down) jump onto the M1 at Jn 35A, then a couple of hours on the motorway and off at the jn 15. Easy really. Weekends probably a bit quieter…..

He really is a kn@b, but had re-deemed himself ( to a point) over the last year, by being one of the few members of the MSM to ask the hard questions of our shambolic leaders. Well, I suppose a Leopard can’t change it’s spots, or whatever.

Several pairs of Bridgedale socks that are daily wear through the winter which are a least 10 yrs old. Scarpa walking boots, 21 yrs old, still look like new ish! Lowe Alpine ruck sack 25yrs old, that both kids have used for DoE in the last few years. But my best buy ever, Rab Batura, about 14 yrs old. Granted not the oldest on here, but pound for pound my best purchase ever.From wet and windy football grounds to the winter olympics in South Korea, it has served me well.

Another question for you all, is there anything bought in the last few years you’d expect to last similar amounts of time? I know my answer.

A note of caution here, some, in fact many of the non OEM roof rails are purely for show and have no load capacity whatsoever. I’d stick with the VW ones mated with Thule bars and a Thule box. Not the cheapest option, but you won’t be picking up your smalls on the M1 one day. Ebay is always worth a look. Roof bars are roof bars, no one really sees them.

2.0TDI Skoda Superb EST. They are just MASSIVE.

Well said @MTT. Skimming through this thread, which has snowballed, shows a lot of hate for the self employed, based on stories of a mate of a mate, of a mate who works for cash, and ‘he’s loaded”. The world isn’t like that, I have an accountant who is straight down the line, as am I because we run business’ that we want to continue and progress. Please remember also that the “gig economy” wasn’t a choice of any employee, but of those way above making the serious money and also the same people avoiding their tax.

Personal cost to date- I don’t know, very little yet….but I was supposed to be doing a 4 week job/event in Europe this summer that has been cancelled. Personally, I’ll be down about 9k, but I figure there were probably about 2000 UK based technicians working on it as well, all earning the at least the same, and some much more. How much the treasury will loose? , I can’t be bothered to work it out. I had 3 months off last year, what with one thing and another, so a good solid 4 weeks work this year was/is needed.

When I say the event was cancelled, I mean to UK technicians, the event carries on.

Just a little note for all those on here in a permanent staff job, I’m seated here in front of my2021 wall planner. I have precisely 11 days work on there going forward from today , and anyone of those could be cancelled. I don’t have a single contract of work and in 25 yrs probably only a handful. Now ( touch wood) the phone will keep ringing and the calender will fill up, but it may not. We don’t all live like that, but many of us do, and just for clarity I had 3 months off last year and didn’t claim furlough as I felt I was ok, but I did pay my Vat, corporation tax, personal tax, and NI all on time.

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by them. Go on, give them a try. I’ve got some 35 yr old Diamonds in the garage fed by one of those 6 quid tiny tiny amps from China, and they ROCK!

Great to see you back Mike, the original and best “VanLife”, and best thread on here. I have to admit a slight addiction to those YouTube VanLife types, not in an ” I envy your van and life choices” sort of way, but more in a ” how the hell do you make a living ?” sort of way. Then the penny drops…..hundreds of thousands of hits on their channels, and monetise them, makes for a half decent living.

Actually, check out Foresty Forest, a laid back and quirky Canadian, at first living in a people carrier with his fat bike, but now he’s actually got a van. Strangely addictive.

Lupin- french 5 or 6 part drama with Omar Sy, a good watch.

A good 6″ here in north west Leeds, and I can’t see Baildon Moor because it’s snowing so much!

+1 for Edifer speakers.

I’m in exactly the same situation as the OP, but my query is, how have you all approached the insurance? My current thinking, cheap small car,in my name, with wife and learner daughter on insurance. Is there a better ( cheaper) way to do this?

Back to Kent, if you don’t mind. The early hours of Monday morning, a friend of mine has three trucks heading to Belgium, they hit Kent and the M20 and firstly the Traffic officers try to split their convoy, three wide vehicles with support vans following, which they obviously refused too, but then when they eventually stopped in “operation stack” or whatever it is, another Traffic officer mentioned in passing there were over 20k trucks stuck in Kent and they were expecting it to be 30k by mid week. Now to be fair his trucks were on their ferry the same day , but they are special loads, but his drivers said they passed trucks on the other side, on their way north up the M20 yesterday, they has seen on Monday morning. I can’t find anything online about operation stack, or numbers of trucks at the moment, but has anyone else heard anything relating to this?

I can’t believe this thread isn’t higher up.

It’s just brill! A bit like Gone Fishing, just gentle telly that puts a smile on your face.

Ikea 3m worktop, with a 3 drawer drawer pack at each end. Perfect

Yes, at all times, and I work outdoors in football/sports stadiums. Touch wood we’ve had only a handful of cases and of those, most in the last few weeks and all the infections seem to come from home and aren’t pasted on in the work place. The only time you can take your mask off is in your own car which is deemed your safe place to take breaks.

If you want to stay dry then ME is the way, and they are still built to last, so you’ll get your money’s worth. Everything else will work for a week or two, then after that , who knows.

One good thing for me. I don’t feel guilty riding into tier 2 North Yorkshire from tier 3 West Yorkshire.

My daughter is absolutely distraught. She is in her last year of A levels and has effectively had two academic years disrupted, and she’s smart enough to know she is just not getting the education she should be at this point, and it’s possible effect on her higher education. She is also worried about the grades awarded if there are no exams, as she saw a lot of her friends from the year above suffer from the down grading of marks ( due to the post code lottery) and not get into their first second or even third choice Uni’s. I know some students had their marks adjusted, but it was too late for many, and her current 6 form is full of last years students hoping to improve their grades and get into their uni of choice. I really do feel for them all, they should be working hard and playing hard as I was back in the day, but this current lot are just working hard ( for lord knows what) and can’t even sneak into the pub for a beer or two.

+1 for a pair of Edifer bluetooth speakers. £89 on Amazon, and they fill our kitchen with decent sound.And a proper stereo pair as well.

Astons, Bentleys, and JCBs etc. Am I correct in thinking you could only sell them in the EU up until a few days ago? Sorry, I’m being a bit of a dick. We successfully sold them all over the world didn’t we? There weren’t any obstructions were there, to selling in the global market? Are we going to sell more now? Not just these examples, but all the other stuff we make?

Somebody remind me again, why?

Also, my friend the Doctor, he hasn’t seen a big cheque for £350 million yet. Silly me, its a weekend, and it’s been christmas.I’ll ring him tomorrow.

Rebuilding a manufacturing base? That ship sailed 30 yrs ago. We already excel at the smaller hi-tech specialist end of the market, but that is limited, but to get back to where we were 60-70 years ago is just not going to happen. If you think the state is going to help out as well, think again.

As others have said, get winter tyres, you’ll be surprised at just how far they will take you.

My BIL had exactly the same problem with a washing machine from Currys a few months ago. Currys accepted the return, but after quite a few phone calls.

My wife and 15 yr old son tested positive on Boxing day, myself and my daughter negative. My son just lost his sense of smell and taste but is generally okay, my wife same, but feels like she’s got a bad cold. More worrying though, is her friend who is awaiting the results of a test to see if she has it for a second time!

As someone who spent a month in South Korea during the winter olympics, I can tell you with no doubt whatsoever, it was a cold dry wind and boy was it cold. We would get alerts on our phones warning us of the lack of moisture in the air, and every time you blew your nose, dry blood would come out.